Our top 50 recipes selected from the Recipes For The Good Life competition.

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To help get your summer gardening preparations started, Guide To The Good Life spoke with gardening aficionado Felicia Hargreaves who shared her favourite gardening tips for the 2011/12 summer season.

“To keep your garden looking good and under-control this summer preparation is the key. Prune back bushes, weed garden beds and plant summer blooming flowers now,” says Felicia.

By being prepared you will have more time in the hotter months to spend enjoying your beautiful summer garden.

Felicia also believes that it’s a good idea to have a water wise plan in place for the hotter months.

“While many places around the country have had water restrictions lifted recently, it still pays to be water wise. By focusing on those parts of the garden that dry out first – pot-plants and newly planted trees – you’ll be directing your efforts to where they’re needed and saving money and more importantly water,” Felicia says.

With the risk of fire increasing during the sometimes harsh Australian summer, it also pays to be fire aware. Removing leaves, cleaning gutters and ensuring flammable chemicals are safely stored are some simple things you can do to minimise the risk of fire.

“Bushfires are an unfortunate and devastating part of the Australian summer. You can however exercise some control over how the fire moves by thinking about what types of plant species you include in your garden and how close you plant them to your house. Some popular plants, like Conifers, contain a highly flammable resin so steer away from these and stick to Acacias and plants that don’t carry fire very well,” says Felicia.

And while it’s a good idea for humans to stay out of the sun during summer, spare a thought for your garden which may face tough conditions for days on end with no reprieve. Because of this, it’s important to take particular notice of plants and trees that may become stressed in summer.

Just like people, plants can suffer from nutritional deficiencies that need taking care of. Boron, magnesium and potassium deficiencies are common in plants during the hotter months and can be easily rectified by taking a trip to the local nursery which should have a range of products to combat these issues.

It’s by following these simple tips that you’ll be well placed to sit back this summer, relax and enjoy the shade of your own Coolabah tree.

Despite being told that the housing market in Australia is currently depressed or “flat lining” for better use of the term, it seems there’s a silver lining to this cloud.  Although you might not be getting the price for your family home you would have a few years ago, the other side of the coin brings with it a myriad of great properties that are now on the market for less.

With summer now in sight and spring having already brought with it a new mind-set, Guide To The Good Life is highlighting ten ways Baby Boomers can downsize as if it were as simple as clicking their fingers.

Having a plan:

Buying a house is much like writing an essay; you would never sit down and start writing without having first written a plan.  Approach downsizing in the same way by planning what sort of lifestyle this move is hoping to achieve, taking the following into consideration: Do you want an urban setting or do you need a garden to feel truly satisfied? Do you want to live in a quiet, remote location or is a sense of community something you can’t live without?

Having answered these questions, you’re then ready to start searching for the ideal property – one that combines all your necessities and leaves you feeling that you really can have it all.

Consider moving within you real estate comfort zone:

Selling the family home doesn’t have to mean moving to the other end of the earth.  It can be a big enough emotional hurdle to give up the family home so why feel that you have to give up your postcode as well?

If you have strong ties to your community, love the familiarity that the area brings and already have your favourite coffee man around the corner, why give it up?  By simply talking a more targeted stroll around the neighbourhood, you’ll be amazed at how many properties there are for sale – you’ve probably just never looked before.

Two for one:

The exciting prospect about downsizing the family home can lead to two things: extra money to play with or the ability to buy tow houses for the price of one.

If you are now considering how you can generate some sort of income in your retired days, why not look to invest in an additional property with the money you’ve saved from downsizing from a family home to an apartment?  Although not for everyone, this is always an option and one that financially can be quite a smart move.

Look for a universal design:

A house should be accessible for people of any age and physical ability.  If this downsized dwelling is something you see yourself living in for years to come, factor in features such as wide doorways and flat thresholds.

This may not seem important to vigorous Baby Boomers, but could be an issue in years ahead.  Things such as slip resistant floors, lever door handles and reinforced bathroom walls that can support bars (if needed), are very good things to keep in mind when looking for that ideal property.  Also something that has good ventilation – a necessity for everyone, but most particularly for people as they age.

Downsize thoughtfully:

You’ll most likely spend a fair amount of time de-cluttering your home if you’re preparing to sell, so when you’re doing this, do it thoughtfully.

Downsizing usually infers that you’ll have less room in the new abode to house all of your wares so instead of going crazy with the garbage bags, think about where you can put the things you can’t go without.  Obviously there will be a host of items that you just must take with you, things such as family photos, certain pieces of furniture or artwork, and a lot of those things that truly make home, home.  But, be resourceful with who you know and what you know such as: would you friends be happy to house some of your extra artwork on their walls for a few years? Would your children be happy to repossess some of their childhood mementos and put them in storage for their own children?

By taking a few of the above tips into consideration, the thought of downsizing needn’t be a daunting move.  By approaching this next phase in a well-planned way, it will allow you to approach downsizing in a way that is not only achievable but extremely exciting.

Guide To The Good Life has looked into the benefits of those not-so-furry friends who have the ability to bring any house to life – pet birds.

Some people want a pet that they can exercise and play with, and some want one to keep them warm at night. Still others want a companion — an animal that will be an unquestioning, faithful friend through thick and thin.

That’s all good, but when it comes to pets, some of us are just looking for a companion that we can talk to. We want a voice at the end of a long day welcoming us home with “Hello, darling, how was your day?” For people who wish to have that type of companion in the form of an animal, a talking bird fits the bill very nicely.

Birds of a Feather … Are Not All the Same

Not just any talking bird will do. Some speak quietly, while others scream at the top of their lungs. The type of bird one chooses must be paired suitably with the environment in which one lives. Most neighbours will not want to hear a perfect imitation of a scene from a horror film, day or night. But, perhaps you live in the country, and the only audio comfort that needs to be taken into consideration is your own. In that case, you will need to decide how much noise you can handle through the day.

All talking birds are great fun to have as companions but some are better at verbalizing and enunciating their words than others. Some species have better memory than others and are able to store hundreds, or even thousands, of words in their little bird brains. Then there are the select few, like the African Grey, that are able to listen to people talk, discern the context and situation, and hold a reasonable conversation (reasonable within the context of being a bird).

There are even birds that will break out of their norm and surprise everyone with their highly capable memory and language skills.

The Top 10 Talkers

• Budgerigar
• Monk Parakeet
• Blue-Fronted Amazon
• Indian Ringneck
• Eclectus
• Yellow-Crowned Amazon
• Double Yellow Head Amazon
• Hill Myna
• Yellow-Naped Amazon
• African Grey

One word of caution: It is important to choose a bird as a living companion because you love birds, not because you want to impress people with your talking bird. Even at the highest level of ability, there are still some birds that will not talk, no matter what you do or how early you train them. Just as there are quiet, shy people, there are quiet, shy birds.

After years of practise, even the best chefs can go astray in the kitchen.  So, according to age-old tales, the art of having an enjoyable Christmas meal is all in the timing – both on the day and in the lead up.

In the vein of helping you stay on top of the turkey this festive season, Guide To The Good Life is bringing you some key things you need to be actioning in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

November

Week 1:

Start organising all those things that you can bake, freeze, store or at least order this far out. Things such as minced pie ice-cream, Christmas pudding or homemade shortbread are some such items on the Christmas menu that you can prepare well in advance.  As well as this, it’s a great time to order your meat – things like ham, turkey and any other main ingredient you anticipate every other Christmas menu will include are always good to order well in advance.

Week 2:

Get yourself and your home ready for the Christmas season. Start buying your Christmas decorations, cards and wrapping paper, and make a list of anyone who will be receiving their Christmas gifts via snail mail.

Week 3:

Stock up on lollies, alcohol and other non-perishables that you might want to serve at Christmas parties.  If you’re not making them yourself, fill the pantry with things like mince pies, mixed nuts and a Christmas cake so you’re never left high and dry when unexpected guests drop in.

Week 4:

Plan what’s on the menu for December 25^th. An integral part of the planning process is actually knowing what you plan to serve on the day, so if you don’t have any lying around the house, go out and pick up a series of recipe books or magazines from your local Coles or Woolworths and start planning the flavours of the season.  And remember, as well as the traditional menu items, take a risk – people won’t say no to a feast.

December

Week 1:

Hang up your advent calendar.  Although you may not be that interested in when Santa is arriving, having an advent calendar in the house is a great way to keep well abreast of the date and is a nice-to-have if the grandchildren drop by.  Most importantly, if you’re feeling truly in the swing of things after a month of planning, this is the week where you actually have the right to start decorating.

Week 2:

This is the week where you need to start thinking about all of the little practicalities that make a huge difference on the day.  Having enough batteries for the grand children’s Christmas presents, buying a ham bag for the left over ham and stocking up on condiments may seem very straight forward things but, if forgotten will make a huge impact on the day.

Week 3:

Make sure you’ve got enough of everything.  You’ll obviously have thought about this on the food front but don’t forget accounting for enough cutlery, crockery and Christmas treats such as bonbons, party hats and napkins.  After all, what’s a true party without enough of these things?

Week 4:

This week denotes action stations.  If you’ve ordered a ham or turkey ahead, pick it up this week.  If you’re planning on having a BBQ on the day, make sure there’s enough gas in the tank.  Ensure all the presents are wrapped and posted if need be; cards written and the tree fully decorated.  Pick up all the perishables such as cream and fresh berries, and if seafood is on the menu, go down to the local fishmonger on Christmas Eve and pick up your prawns and oysters.

Finally, on the day itself, don’t forget to enjoy yourself and give yourself a pat on the back.  After all, no one knows how much preparation goes into the Christmas meal that the chef themselves!

Congratulations!

After weeks of waiting with baited breath, Guide To The Good Life is happy to announce that BEVERLEY SCULLY from KELSO, NSW is the lucky winner of the APT Kimberley Wilderness Adventure, priced at $15,990.

After registering her interest in taking a trip on the wild side, Beverley and a friend will be enjoying an adventurous 13-day 4 Wheel Drive trip in the Kimberley Region, WA.

Drive away.

Encouraging subscribers to refer a friend for a heightened chance of winning, Guide To The Good Life gave MARGARET DICKSON from OCEAN GROVE the opportunity to drive away in a Nissan Micra Ti Automatic Hatch.  Armed with Bluetooth® hands-free phone system, front passenger seat handbag holder, reverse parking sensors, automatic headlights, and climate control, the Nissan Micra Ti Automatic Hatch is worth $19,990.

Meet Guide To The Good Life’s master chefs

After finding inspiration form the abundance of TV cooking shows and food culture that’s gripping Australia, Guide To The Good Life is proud to announce that the Lemmon Delicious & Almond Cup Cakes, courtesy of Mario Ferraro from Queensland, have taken out gold in this year’s Recipes For The Good Life.

To get your copy of Recipes For The Good Life, download the eBook here (INSERT LINK)

DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Australia’s premium motorhome company, Maui Motorhomes, is offering one lucky Guide To The Good Life eNewsletter subscriber the opportunity to win a five-day getaway from your chosen destination in Australia. Maui’s Australian branches are conveniently located in Adelaide, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Broome, Cairns, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

To enter, all you need to do is head to Maui’s Facebook page; www.facebook.com/mauimotorhomesfanpage become a fan and post in 50 words or less what your favourite memory of a motorhome holiday of ‘yesterday’ is.

Discover the range online by taking a virtual tour of all Maui Motorhomes at www.maui.com.au.

Competition closes midnight on Sunday 2nd October.

*Terms and conditions apply.